Guy Ritchie to Direct DC-Warner Bros. ‘Lobo’

The “Main Man” has found a man to bring him rip-roarin to the big screen,lock, stock with both barrels smoking!

That’s right, DC Comics interstellar bounty hunter, Lobo, has a feature film in the works and Guy Ritchie (Sherlock Holmes) will be the man helping to realize the vision… But what’s all this about a PG-13 Rating???

Variety is reporting that DC/Warner Bros. has attached Ritchie to the project, which they hope to have in production by early next year. If you’re not familiar, Lobo is the foul-mouthed, interstellar bounty hunter of the DC Universe. He rides a pimped-out space bike, is strong enough to take on Superman, with enough energy left over to drink, party and get laid all night by the lovely ladies of the cosmos. All when he isn’t brutally slaughtering bad guys and collecting bounties, that is.

Ritchie seems like a good fit for this material. After all, the director has been playing in the sandbox with thugs, thieves, crooks, and other anti-hero types ever since his early films set in the London underworld – Lock, Stock, and two Smoking Barrels, Snatch (and to to a lesser extent) RocknRolla – catapulted him into fame. With the upcoming big-budget adventure film Sherlock Holmes already in the can, Ritchie has certainly demonstrated he can tackle high-profile studio projects.

But how “high-profile” is a Lobo movie? The character is not nearly as recognized (certainly not at all beloved) as say Superman, Batman or even Green Lantern, which is likely the reason that DC/WB is reportedly shooting for a PG-13 rating for the film. I figure they’ll push the limits with the language/violence, but still keep the movie clean enough to have teenage boys flocking to the theater.

And, if done right, I see a Lobo movie potentially being enough of a hit to lift the character from the level of a D-list comic book anti-hero, to a worldwide anti-hero icon. He certainly fits the bill of the “darker” super hero many fans say they want to see onscreen these days (sorry Superman).

Don Payne (Rise of the Silver Surfer) is handling the latest draft of the Lobo script, which will be produced by Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona. Lobo will be a co-production between Silver Pictures and Weed Road.

What do you think: Is Lobo a character you expected to see on the screen before The Flash or Wonder Woman? And are you happy Guy Ritchie is at the helm?

No word yet on when DC/WB wants to have Lobo in theaters. As for who should play the Main Man… We’ll see how Danny Trejo does carrying Machete, but I think he’d be perfect. Otherwise, I guess I’ll sit back and get ready for yet another “Cast HHH” campaign to start up.

BONUS: Want to see Lobo take on Superman? Check out this clip from Superman: The Animated Series.